“You don’t know the identity of the man who tried to take you, do you?” the prince asked.
“No,” Norah said. “But… he did wear a ring. One I recognized as a pirate crest.”
“Could you describe it?” the admiral asked.
“It was red. A… a ruby, I think. And over the ruby was set gold inlay, so it looked like an octopus in a sea of red fire.”
Prince Lucas let out a gusty breath as he and the admiral exchanged a pointed glance.
“Do you know what it means?” Sir Oliver asked.
“It wasn’t an octopus you saw,” the admiral said. “It was a kraken–a mighty sea beast rumored to haunt the Deeps. Which means your pirate belongs to the clan of Willamina Gast.”
Phillip stiffened, and several guests began to whisper to one another.
“I’m sorry,” Norah said. “But who is she?”
“You don’t remember?” Lady Freya asked, her brows furrowed in concern.
Norah shook her head.
“Willamina Gast was the wife of the most powerful pirate lord of his time,” Prince Lucas said kindly. Then he paused. “She’s also the mother of the pirate prince who died on your island.”
Norah felt like her blood had turned to ice. “But… but the pirate lord died in the fire! My Nanny told me!”
“He did,” Prince Lucas said. “But his wife survived. And from what I understand,” he paused and looked at the admiral, “so did their youngest son.”
Phillip stared at him for a long moment before sucking in a sharp breath. Then he began frantically searching the table. Norah, knowing by now what he was looking for, handed him a quill and ink, and his sister gave him a piece of parchment. Those who were familiar with the prince’s unusual methods of communication watched patiently. Those who were new to the table, however, leaned forward in their seats to see better.
Phillip, in his usual masterful strokes, quickly sketched a pirate family with a father, a mother, and two boys. Then he crossed out the father and the eldest son. But on the youngest, he began to draw spots.
“I don’t believe the boy was deformed–” Admiral Starke began to say, but Norah understood immediately what he meant.
“He means to ask whether the youngest son was sick as well!” She looked up at Freya.
It was a good question. If the youngest son had been sick too, he might have survived. Most of the sick children did, though many had lingering effects, like Phillip did, that remained.
“What do you mean?” Sir Oliver asked.
“The pirate looked familiar, but I couldn’t place where I’d seen him before. And when he spoke to me, he was familiar–veryfamiliar. He spoke of loving me from the start, and of never loving another besides me.”
Norah would have been embarrassed to admit this in front of a room full of strange men if her heart hadn’t been beating so fast that it might fly away like a bird.
“What if… What if I met him on the island when we were both small? I probably wouldn’t remember him, as there were countless children who came to the island. But he would remember me because I was the princess–the only one left who could heal another with love–Oh no…” Norah put her hand to her mouth and looked at Phillip, who looked nearly as stricken as she felt.
“That’s why they’ve been looking for me!” she whispered. “They mean for me to heal the surviving son!”
“As unfortunate as that situation would be,” Admiral Starke said slowly, “it would make sense. Willamina is still one of the most powerful pirates to sail the ocean. The boy is her only heir, and if he were sick, it’s likely that he was left with symptoms as many other children were.” He glanced at Phillip but was polite enough not to let his gaze linger.
Prince Lucas scratched his chin thoughtfully. “And I wouldn’t be surprised if she left spies in the city to send word if they found any sign that any of the princesses had survived. She has no fewer than six ships at her disposal.”
“Which means,” Admiral Starke finished grimly, “as the princess has already been targeted once, your kingdom is probably looking at no less than a full-scale invasion once they feel confident they can take her from you. It would be the perfect excuse for Willamina not only to find the princess, but to try to take the palace and the crown as well.”
Norah felt so sick to her stomach that she had to slow her breathing just as Nanny had taught her, counting the seconds until the nausea passed. Only, she wondered now if it would ever pass.
The pirates had murdered her family and burned her city to the ground, leaving her people to either starve or escape. And now they were threatening to do it again.
Only this time, they were doing it because of her.
